We can surely agree we’re not in the same space as we were just a few short years ago — in the time B.C. (before COVID). Not as a society, not as individuals and not as an industry.
We were all propelled and transformed by forces well beyond our control yet remain undaunted in the face of uncertainty. It is real estate’s essential nature as an entrepreneurial, cooperative business — a community deeply rooted in collaboration — from which our enduring strength during these trying times sprang. It’s this vital ingredient that remains the “secret sauce” to all our future success no matter what the world throws at us.
REALTORS® change as the times demand. We make a way out of “no way.” And we change for the better, along the way forging new relationships and creating new opportunities for business and professional growth. And REALTOR® Associations must change, as well, to meet the emerging needs of our members. At the North Shore-Barrington Association of REALTORS® (NSBAR), we continue to reinvent our service model for our members, starting with our completely reimagined NSBAR campus in Northbrook — which we debuted just last summer after an extensive renovation. Our refreshed headquarters were built for “optionality,” now serving as a dynamic, state-of-the-art coworking environment, meeting space and events center.
We are forging a new collaborative relationship, as well, with the Northern Illinois Commercial Association of REALTORS® (NICAR). With joint programming that offers extended educational and networking opportunities to an expanded audience of real estate professionals, we’re pioneering a groundbreaking, strategic residential-commercial alliance to better serve the needs of both our memberships.
We also continue to work closely with other industry partners to “broaden the rainbow” and affirm our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. These partners include the Women’s Council of Realtors (WCR), the LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance and the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB). This summer, we are planning a unified event with NICAR, the Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA) and the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP).
And, with so many sweeping technology innovations, NSBAR offers personalized technology support with a pioneering IT team that keep members up and running in today’s fast-paced real estate industry. NSBAR Tech Support was the first of its kind in the real estate association world and remains one of the very few services like it nationwide. Whether our members need help with a malfunctioning mobile phone or getting a laptop repaired — or they need comprehensive recommendations for a digital business transformation within their office — our friendly team is always here to help!
Staying in motion is the future — we don’t know what lies ahead for us as an industry. Will there be a recession or not? Are we in a postCOVID world now, or just at a pause? Will the Bears ever win another Super Bowl? Who can truly say? What we do know is that we can adapt to meet any challenge and that a REALTOR® association isn’t truly relevant if it is not helping its members do more or better business.
As NSBAR President Kati Spaniak stated at our installation event last September, through collaboration and finding common ground, even competitors can learn from and support each other — no matter the market, no matter the moment, always in the best interests of their clients.
Jeff Lasky is chief executive officer of the North Shore-Barrington Association of REALTORS®.